As environmental issues continue to influence the world around us more than ever, it is important to think about what we can do as individuals to lessen our negative impact on the envornment. As someone who loves clothing and shopping, it is crucial to understand how harshly some large companies treat the environment and contribute to climate change.
Learning that some popular consumer brands sway away from supporting the environment and human rights pushed me into thinking in a more reusable and earth friendly mindset. The past year I have been trying to purchase a majority of clothing, specifically jeans and sweaters from thrift stores. Thrifting is now one of my favorite hobbies! I love having pieces of clothing no one else has and giving my style a more vintage look. I realized that thrifting is a much more sustainable and creative way to shop than fast fashion. Plus, who doesn’t love paying $5 for a pair of jeans as opposed to paying over $40 a pair at places like American Eagle?
I have found some of my favorite items from thrift stores and highly recommend putting this form of shopping on your radar for various reasons. It acts as a form of recycling, reduces the amount of waste produced, saves money, and usually benefits a charity or organization. Of course you should shop where you want, but think about the environmental and monetary implications of supporting larger corporations. I recommend that you check out your local thrift stores! You may be surprised at what you can find.